FMU to offer free community course on America’s Electoral Traditions

Francis Marion will offer a new course, America’s Electoral Traditions, free to the community as part of its Evening College program this fall. This course will be sponsored by Fred and Folly Carter as a public service offering for the community during this extraordinary election year. 

The course will focus on America’s rich foundation of free elections with a special emphasis on events that have a link to the upcoming November 2024 presidential election. It will meet at 6pm on Thursdays from August 29 until November 14 at the Carter Center for Health Sciences in downtown Florence. 

Participants in this eleven-week course will learn about numerous topics including the intentions of the Founding Fathers at the creation of the presidency, the selection of candidates by political parties, past highly contested elections and their aftermaths, and voter security. 

Dr. Will Bolt, Chair of the Department of History at FMU, will teach the non-partisan course. He will be joined occasionally by guest speakers, including the former mayor of Florence, Stephen Wukela, FMU professor emeritus, Dr. Neal D. Thigpen, and FMU professor Dr. Scott Kaufman. 

While there is no fee associated with the course, those who wish to participate must enroll in this for-credit, non-degree course at www.fmarion.edu/eveningcollege. Enrollment is limited to 100. For additional information or to register, visit the Evening College website, email eveningcollege@fmarion.edu, or call 843-661-1281.